Climate Change: Taking precautions

Last week's polar vortex, a weather pattern that brought record cold to many states in the Northeast and Central Atlantic, sparked an unexpected debate over global climate change. Residents of Hampton Roads have for years viewed that discussion with interest since rising sea levels could threaten coastal communities.

Bruce Wielicki, a climate change expert at NASA Langley Research Center in Hampton, calls this area the "front lines of the war zone" because the effects will be felt here first. That requires action now, both in terms of preparation for its effects and sound planning decisions that strive to keep people out of harm's way.

Ample and compelling evidence exists that the earth's climate is steadily changing, that average temperatures are increasing and that the result of those forces will be widespread and significant. Yes, some still harbor doubt that the planet's 6 billion people have not affected the fragile ecosystem, but both the Ice Age and the extinction of the dinosaurs demonstrate changes in climate over time, man's involvement notwithstanding.

Last year, the United Nations' Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change released a study showing with 95 percent certainty that human activity contributes to slowly rising temperatures. It coincided with another U.N. study that measured the level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere at 393.1 parts per million, exceeding the 350 million parts per million that many scientists consider the maximum safe limit.

These reports are among the body of evidence prompting action by the U.S. Navy and other entities on climate change. The federal government, in concert with other nations, must determine the best course forward, one that seeks to limit the emission of greenhouse gases without instituting draconian and costly regulations on businesses.

However, set aside for the moment that debate about man's contributions and instead focus on what a slowly warming global climate means for residents of Hampton Roads.

Last week's biting cold was one minor example of changing temperature patterns. Australia, in the midst of summer, is at the same time experiencing record heat. These events, considered anomalies, are expected to be more commonplace, putting a premium on care for at-risk and disadvantaged populations without adequate shelter from the elements.

The 2013 Atlantic Hurricane Season was remarkable for its calm, especially in this area. One year earlier, however, much of the East Coast endured the devastation inflicted by "Superstorm" Sandy, a storm system 1,000 miles wide that caused $70 billion in damage to the United States.

Such powerful systems are a constant threat to coastal communities and pose a particular risk in the near future to residents here. Those living in low-lying areas or near the water find themselves in the crosshairs when tropical systems sweep up the Atlantic seaboard.

Those annual worries are the immediate short-term concern. More problematic is the long-term effects of a warming Earth, melting ice caps and rising sea levels on the people of Hampton Roads. With so many homes and businesses located on or near the water, even modest changes would have a significant impact.

The geography of the region, located amid rivers and tidal areas, put it at risk as conditions worsen. That poses a financial challenge to municipal government and to the Defense Department, which will be forced to consider the long-term viability of installations here.

Norfolk, for instance, has seen sea levels rise by 18 inches in the last century, and officials estimate that climate change could be a $1 billion problem there. Scientists point to changes in ocean currents and subsiding ground as factors, in addition to changing climate. Hampton and Newport News could face similarly sized problems in the coming decades.

It is a tall order for citizens or elected officials to consider how their decisions about planning might affect the landscape of a community in five years, much less 50 years from now. They may prioritize investments on short-term needs over those regarding climate change.

However, expediency cannot drive policy. For instance, development must follow rules that put reasonable distance between residents and the water. Ordinances should protect the integrity of floodplains and deal with stormwater runoff in a responsible fashion.

For this region, public decisions must reflect a changing environment, one that will be dramatically affected by more powerful storms and rising sea levels. To ignore that is both short-sighted and irresponsible.